The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to an ultrasound transducer and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a system for delivering ultrasound energy for medical treatment, for example, intravascular treatment. Maguire and Peacock, in EP 1769759 disclose:
“A medical device assembly and method provides an ultrasound transducer (904) mounted onto a delivery member, such as the elongate body (802) of a catheter shaft, without a support structure bridging between a separation area between the transducer and the shaft. Mounting flanges extend from either end of the transducer and are mounted at first and second locations along the catheter shaft such that the transducer is not in mechanical contact with the catheter shaft between those mounting locations to provide for air backing between the transducer and the catheter shaft so as to isolate ultrasound transmission radially away from the catheter shaft and toward the tissue surrounding the shaft. The transducer is substantially “airbacked” when mounted onto a delivery member in accordance with the present invention.”Sverdlik et al, in PCT/IL2008/000234, filed Feb. 21, 2008 disclose:“Described is a method of stabilizing blood vessel wall abnormality. The method includes ultrasonically heating at least a portion of the blood vessel wall having the abnormality; monitoring a parameter related to a property of at least a portion of the heated portion of the blood vessel wall; and stopping the heating when the monitored parameter changes by a predetermined factor or after the monitored parameter changes in a slow enough rate.”
Additional background art includes:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,804
U.S. Pat. No. 7,410,486
U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,929
U.S. Pat. No. 7,717,948
U.S. Pat. No. 7,771,372
US patent application 2008228111
US patent application 2009216246
US patent application 2010091112